Smellershot Rising
by ayziks
Summary: This story is concerns the plausible pairing of Freedom Fighters Smellerbee and Longshot, who gave many hints of being a couple throughout the show. Their story starts at the end of the ATLA episode "Lake Laogai" and ends the morning of the Freedom Fighter/Earth Kingdom protest a the gates of "The Promise Part 1". Five Chapters. ATLA characters property of Nickelodeon.
1. Chapter 1 - Escape from Lake Lagoai

**Title: **"Smellershot Rising"  
**Author:** A6  
**Rating:** T – violence, death, romance  
**Summary/Notes:**  
This story is concerns the plausible pairing of Freedom Fighters Smellerbee and Longshot, who gave many hints of being a couple throughout the show. Their story starts at the end of the ATLA episode "Lake Laogai" and ends the morning of the Freedom Fighter/Earth Kingdom protest a the gates of "The Promise Part 1". Five Chapters. ATLA characters property of Nickelodeon.

...

Chapter 1: Escape from Lake Lagoai

...

As soon as the Gaang reluctantly left Longshot and Smellerbee behind to guard their fading leader Jet, Smellerbee turned to Longshot and urged, "Hurry, we have to get him out of here! We can't leave him behind _no matter what._"

They both knew of the stories heard in the poorer circles of the city about what the Dai Li did to enemies of the state.

Longshot delicately slung Jet over his shoulder as carefully as he could, but the fallen Freedom Fighter groaned weakly, "No Longshot. Leave me. I'm done."

Longshot ignored Jet and they began their escape. Getting out was going to be difficult with the Dai Li on alert all over the Lake Laogai complex chasing the Avatar and his friends.

As they proceeded through the dimly lit corridors, Smellerbee crouched low, and peered around every corner. Surprisingly, it seemed deserted. They crept through the complex carefully, but rounding one corner, they faced four Dai Li agents.

"There! _Get _them!" the team leader yelled and pointed.

Almost immediately they unleashed their rock fists. Smellerbee had a terrible premonition of being captured and turned into a zombie like Jet. She would rather die and steeled herself to fight.

Before Smellerbee could defend herself, she heard four whizzing noises over her head and the Dai Li were pinned the wall with arrows through their hearts and foreheads. The rock fists crashed to the ground harmlessly at her feet.

She spun around and stared at Longshot in slack-jawed disbelief.

With a sharp, vengeful stare, Longshot remained in his archer's stance, shaking with what he had done. He had drawn and shot a simultaneous four-arrow spread, killing all the Dai Li instantly. Longshot was an expert archer. For awhile, he had been a Yu Yan archery student, but resigned rather than follow their mercenary, murderous ways. He never killed anyone, and only shot to incapacitate or wound. She knew only then the depth of his pain and grief for Jet.

She glanced at her friend and whispered, "Thank you" and he simply nodded.

Longshot acted so that he would not lose her too; especially the same way the Dai Li hypnotized Jet. They had really lost him mentally first – well before they lost him physically.

They continued down the corridors, but heard a far away yell, "This way! The Avatar is escaping."

Taking advantage of the Dai Li focus on the Avatar, they hurried, and then found hope. At a juncture of several corridors they found a ladder. It was a very tall ladder enclosed in a vertical stone column that reached the surface.

Smellerbee started climbing first, to scout for any sentries at the top of the ladder, followed by Longshot with Jet slung across his shoulders. Smellerbee could see climbing each rung of the ladder was agonizingly hard for Longshot. They ascended as stealthily as possible, but the sounds of feet on metal rungs could still be heard.

Midway up, Longshot was exhausted, but willed himself onward to freedom. Fear struck both of them as they heard the sounds of muffled footsteps far below them. If they were discovered, they had nowhere to go. Capture or death would be certain. They stopped, praying to not be discovered. Just before the Dai Li got to the ladder, they could hear a distant order, "Return immediately! We need to trap the Avatar."

The sounds got fainter and they were alone again to finish the climb. Smellerbee and Longshot exchanged grateful glances.

At the top of the ladder, Smellerbee carefully slid open the access hatch a tiny crack, and looked around. Only the woods were there to greet them, and fresh air. She opened the hatch fully and helped Longshot with Jet as best she could. They reattached the hatch, and barred it closed, but were still wary of being observed or caught.

They gained some confidence when, from their view in wooded hills above Lake Laogai, they saw that the confrontation between Long Feng and the Dai Li against the Avatar and his Sky Bison was ensuing very much in the Avatar's favor. There would be no Dai Li left standing to chase them as they fled into the trees surrounding the lake


	2. Chapter 2 - Losing and Gaining

Chapter 2 - Losing and Gaining

...

Many miles and hours later, Longshot and Smellerbee fell to the ground in the deep forest. Longshot did his best to be gentle in placing Jet on the ground before collapsing. They had nothing physically left in them.

Unfortunately, Jet had no time left either.

Weakly, Jet motioned to his friends to come closer, and rasped their names, "Longshot. Smellerbee."

Their exhaustion forgotten, they quickly knelt beside Jet. He said to them both, "Thank you, dear friends. Take care of the Freedom Fighters. Take care of each other."

He looked at both one final time, and managed a weak smile, "I know something neither of you realize."

With a long, ragged exhalation, Jet passed.

Smellerbee hugged her dead leader, screamed, and cried, "No!"

Longshot placed his hand on Jet's shoulder saying goodbye to his friend, and wrapped his other arm around Smellerbee to attempt to comfort her, convulsing in deep sobs. Tears trickled from his eyes.

They remained by his side silently, saying what few prayers they knew to the spirits for Jet's safe passage into the spirit world.

At long last Smellerbee stood, straightened her clothes, and said, "We have to place him where they won't find him."

Behind them was a huge marble cliffside, with a beautiful waterfall cascading down the face of the highest façade. An open green field of wild oats – Jet's favorite to chew on – was located between the edge of the woods and the cliffs.

"Over there! That's the place." pointed Smellerbee.

There was a jumbled pile of rocks next to the waterfall. Longshot looked and nodded to Smellerbee. He concurred with her choice.

In the soothing cool spray of the waterfall they made a grave for Jet, and as they laid him to rest and covered him with the rocks, they were very careful to cover him deeply, and to arrange the rocks on him so that it looked completely natural, and not look like a traditional Earth Kingdom rock burial mound. They were committed that no predator – animal or human - would find the brave leader of the Freedom Fighters.

In the many years that would follow, during the days of Korra, this area would be revered by Earth Kingdom citizens as "Freedom Falls", though no one either dared try or ever found Jet's final resting place.

But for now, only two – the closest confidants of Jet – knelt before his rocky gravesite.

"I wish the Avatar was here. He would know what to say," said Smellerbee flatly.

Longshot looked at her, raised an eyebrow, made Aang's characteristic meditation handclasp, and gave her a slight smile.

She smiled back and said, "Yeah. I agree. We'll pretend he was here."

Smellerbee tried valiantly to say all the kind words in their hearts about Jet, but soon started to ramble, her voice quivered and trailed off, and her tears started to fall.

Longshot pulled her up gently held her by the shoulders.

Then, Smellerbee snapped.

Not knowing what she was doing, in a fit of rage and grief, she pounded her fists on Longshot's chest, all the while sobbing and ranting, "Why, Longshot? Why did he let this happen to him? Why was he so stubborn? Why didn't he stop? Why didn't he run away? Why did they do this to him?"

She let it all out. She was reeling from the days and weeks of seeing their leader go from focused and resolved to start a new life, to single-minded and unhealthily obsessed with two Fire Nation suspects. She was suffering from the pent-up worry of seeing Jet captured, and then witnessing him being converted to a mindless puppet of the Dai Li, only to be mortally wounded and to die in agony at the hands of Long Feng himself.

Her pounding on Longshot's chest got weaker and slower. Soon there was less yelling, but more crying. Finally, she just left her hands and head on his chest, feeling and hearing his heartbeat in between her sobs.

"No more anger," Longshot spoke as he held her firmer and closer than they had ever been before, with his eyes full of tears.

She looked up into his gaze, and managed a faint smile.

He leaned down to her, and their lips touched. It tingled.

"No! Longshot! What are you doing?" she pulled back, but not completely away from his embrace. He leaned in for another kiss. She fought it a bit. This time it felt electric.

She was totally shocked. She didn't know whether to slap him or kiss him back.

"Don't!" but only said the word softly and didn't move but an inch away from his face.

The echo of Jet's words finally hit them both, _"Take care of each other. I know something..."_

With that revelation, they both came together in their first deep kiss, and then turned in their embrace to stand protectively over Jet's memorial. He _knew._And more importantly, even with his dying breath, he approved.

A thousand thoughts raced through their minds as they stood holding each other. This new relationship was so sudden. It was completely unexpected. They had been kids in the same stricken village. They were neighbors and playmates. They fought and fussed with each other. They even _hated_each other briefly. They were just kids in a rural village, until the village died and their families with it. Since then they only thought about their cause, and their friendship with Jet and the other Freedom Fighters – all orphans. They never had time to think about anything beyond that.

They remembered that they were always paired together on missions - especially the most dangerous ones like this one. They _always_went headlong in to a mission together, and teamed without thinking about it. They were always anticipating each other's moves. Each was comfortable with Longshot's long silences, and Smellerbee was always able to speak for him. When all the others respected but were always uncomfortable around Longshot's taciturn behavior, she was there for him and supported him.

This discovery was certainly a surprise, but it wasn't really a surprise after all.

They were silent for a few more moments standing before Jet's resting place, then Longshot offered his hand to Smellerbee. She took it and they walked back to the woods, established camp, and prepared a meal.

They shared dinner, but were listless. They sat side by side leaning closely against each other, but both silently fiddled with the fire. As happy as they were to discover each other, they missed their friend and leader terribly. There was nothing more to say but to go home, try to find their friends even though they unofficially disbanded, tell the others about Jet, and pick up the pieces.

That night around the small campfire, they arranged their bedrolls opposite from each other across the fire like they always did when encamped with the others. To Smellerbee, that didn't feel right now. She sighed, got up silently, looked him directly in the eye when he heard her stir, smiled, and laid down in front of Longshot. He gingerly wrapped his arm around her, not quite sure what to do, but she snuggled deeper into that grasp. He ran his fingers through her short hair. She didn't see his contented smile, but could feel it as she smiled herself. He kissed the back of her neck, and in response she wiggled even further into his embrace. They slept soundly for the first time in weeks.

They never slept a night again without being nestled together.


	3. Chapter 3 - Laundry Day

After surviving the exertion and exhaustion from the escape from Laogai, burying Jet, and many days on the trail – all in the summer heat - they each began to create quite an aroma. She could definitely smell him, and saw a number of times when he would wrinkle his nose when she was close. They were going to have to do something about that.

Deep in the safety of the woods far from Ba Sing Se, they found a running stream that they would have to ford.

"Let's stop here and clean up Longshot," And smiled. Longshot understood what she meant, and grinned back.

Now Smellerbee had inadvertently seen nearly all the boys whenever they relieved themselves in the woods, and accidentally saw the boys changing clothes once and awhile. In the close quarters of their group deep in the Earth Kingdom forest, it couldn't be helped. While she was always embarrassed, she got used to it, but always looked away.

She also got used to cleaning everyone's dirty, smelly clothes as the only girl in the group. In their society laundry was woman's work, despite Smellerbee not liking it.

The dilemma was this - back in their hidden enclave, everyone had extra clothes to wear while the laundry was being done. Today, there was no choice and they knew it. So they moved a comfortable discrete distance away from each other. Longshot was brave, smiled, and completely disrobed first. She tried to look away, but couldn't help but glance, saw his chiseled physique, and admired it for the first time in a very different way.

She rolled her eyes and did the same, and both started washing their clothes with fragrant cleansing herbs that they had gathered. Longshot had never seen Smellerbee – or any other girl – naked before. She was discrete as the only girl, and everyone gave her the privacy she deserved. He noted in a glance that she was pleasantly thin and very beautiful, so he smiled, having only known her before disguised in the Freedom Fighter clothing, padded so that always she intentionally concealed her gender to others.

She noticed his smile, and blushed deeply enough that her cheek tattoos blended with her blush. Smellerbee never thought she looked that special. To Longshot, she was very special indeed.

She also noticed Longshot was struggling with his laundry, and doing it all wrong. She was amused but pleased that he was peeking at her more than scrubbing.

She stood up, knowing full well he could see her completely now, and said, "Longshot, let me help with that." and walked directly and unashamed toward him, leaving her laundry temporarily on the rocks behind.

He tried not to stare at her beauty as she approached, but could not help himself.

"Let me show you how," as she came up behind him and put her arms around him from behind, guiding his hands still holding the wet clothes. She felt her body touch his back, but pressed closer. He definitely felt her soft skin. It was thrilling, and tried to remain calm, but couldn't.

Seeing the effect her touch from behind was having on him, she took a bold move. She released the clothes, and since they were crouched together and off balance, she grabbed him around the waist and she shoved them both headfirst into the water of the stream with a huge splash.

They surfaced, coughing and sputtering, and she wiped her wet hair out of her eyes. He splashed her in feigned disgust. She splashed back. Soon the water was churning with them splashing each other. She stuck her tongue out at him, swam away, and he swam after her. He dunked her and she dunked back. He grabbed her, and faking a struggle, he lofted her on his shoulders, she held on to him tightly, as they began stomping around in the creek like a platypus bear, both laughing hard. They were ecstatic with that close feeling.

Their water play continued for a long time with their clothes forgotten on the banks of the stream, shrieking and laughing and cavorting in the water. It was the first real fun they could remember in years, and the first time with just each other.

As they began to get tired, they swam to each other and embraced, breathless, forehead to forehead. Their arms encircled each other's necks, and they began to kiss. The kissing got more intense, and they became more entwined in the summer-heat warmed stream.

On the soft grassy embankment next to the creek, they relaxed after their first time, just staring silently and stroking each other's cheeks and hair.

Smellerbee broke the silence, "_We _are Jet's secret, aren't we?"

Longshot nodded assent.

"How did _he _know what we didn't?"

Longshot shrugged, smiled, stretched out his arms, and drew her close. She snuggled tightly with him. He was right, it didn't matter how. It was only important that they were together now.

In the heat of the summer night, they didn't let go until the following dawn, loving again in the early light.


	4. Chapter 4 - Going Home and Beyond

They dressed and continued their trek home. On foot, they travelled alone to avoid contact with anyone who could report them to the Dai Li. It was a long and hard journey. A few times they took the risks to trust Earth Kingdom peasants to ride on their small boats or ostrich horse wagons to shorten their journey.

From the peasants they heard terrible rumors about the death of the Avatar and the fall of Ba Sing Se, but they were too afraid to talk to anyone to find out more.

The rumors added to their resolve in their quest to return home, find their friends, reunite the Freedom Fighters, and continue the battles against the Fire Nation. With their new-found feelings for each other, they did stop along the way once and awhile for quick kiss or hug, or a bit of laughter. Every day their love for one another grew and deepened, and found new ways to express it. But they didn't let love distract them from their cause.

Finally they arrived at the tree fortress, hoping that their friends were still around, even though they unofficially disbanded when Jet, Longshot, and Smellerbee left for Ba Sing Se months ago. They snickered that they didn't realize they were still holding hands, so they dropped their grasp just before coming into view of the fort. The rest of the Freedom Fighters didn't need to know about their relationship yet.

There were indeed a number of the Freedom Fighters in the treetops, who greeted Smellerbee and Longshot with hugs and handshakes and lots of whooping and hollering.

It wasn't long before they were all reunited, and enjoyed their first good meal in months. Even though they rested in the familiar comfort of the tree fort, they were anxious to return to action.

"OK guys. We have to reorganize and take on the Fire Nation again!" urged Smellerbee.

One of the Freedom Fighters said, "Didn't you guys hear? The Avatar and his friends won the War! It's over!"

Smellerbee and Longshot jumped up. She shrieked and cheered, and they hugged and kissed. They were so relieved the rumors were wrong.

Still embraced, they turned around to see the stunned looks of all the other Freedom Fighters watching them kiss.

Sneers was not the smartest Freedom Fighter and blurted, "Erm, Smellerbee, you and Longshot...you're _together?_"

Smellerbee's short temper bristled, she grabbed Sneers by the collar with an icy cold stare, and growled, "Yeah. Yeah, we are. You gotta problem with that?"

Taken aback, Sneers apologized, "Spirits no! We think it's great."

Another chimed in, "Yeah, we always figured you'd both end up together."

There was a general happy chatter among all the Freedom Fighters in sharing congratulations with them. She felt more than a little embarrassed at being angry with Sneers, and Longshot put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"When you guys rushed off months ago, we really thought you were crazy. We thought you were all going to die! So where _is_Jet? When does he get back?" quizzed another friend.

"Well guys...we need to talk about that." said Smellerbee sadly.

Everyone sat uncomfortably around the evening fire. Telling the story brought all the pain back quickly to Smellerbee and Longshot. The tears returned as they explained everything, but both kept their composure this time. Expressions of grief and sadness were on all the Freedom Fighter faces as they heard the story for the first time.

They didn't talk about finding each other. It wasn't the right time, and it really didn't need any more explanation. To everyone it was obvious anyway.

She reflected, "At least Jet didn't die in vain. He saved the Avatar at Lake Laogai, who lived to _end _this war."

Then it was Smellerbee and Longshot's turn to be stunned as they realized the hard, cold truth.

"The Freedom Fighters have no purpose now," she muttered.

"It took you that long to figure it out?" sadly asked Sneers.

They all sat in silence, sadness, and confusion around the fire. Their only comfort was in Smellerbee snuggling close to Longshot.

Abruptly, Longshot stood, looked at her invitingly, took her by the hand, and they departed.

Smellershot called over her shoulder, "Oh. OK. Sure, Longshot. Guys, we'll be back. Don't wait up."

Sneers said to no one in particular, "Those two scare me sometimes."

Even the intimate solitude of a moonlight swim in the river near the tree fortress was not comforting to Smellershot and Longshot. Only their heads could be seen above water, with their bare arms wound around each other's necks, and with Smellerbee's legs firmly wrapped around Longshot's waist. Despite the closeness, their conversation was troubled.

"Longshot, what are we gonna do? We came all the way home, with the chance to honor Jet's memory. For nothing."

Longshot tried to cheer his love up with a smirk and an eye roll.

"What do you mean, let's _sleep_ on it? The _last _thing you want to do right now is sleep!" teased Smellerbee.

Wanting exactly the same thing, she kissed him mercilessly hard and squeezed her legs as tight as she could, toppling them backward in the water. Just for awhile they forgot all their worries.

The next day was spent in small talk and getting reacquainted, but they all felt frustrated. The evening meal and campfire was more serious.

Smellerbee was focused. "So what happened to all the others? There's only a handful left."

"Well, The Duke and Pipsqueak left about a week after you did. You know after the flood of Gaipan they were really disillusioned. They were talking about helping the Avatar somehow," said one of the adult Freedom Fighters.

Smellerbee lamented, "Yeah. I know. Gaipan changed all of us. Who _knows_where they are now? Maybe they found the Avatar."

Smellerbee was impatient, "So guys, what are we going to do? We can't survive doing _nothing_. We are the Freedom Fighters. We know how to fight. Maybe we can hire ourselves out as security guards."

Sneers sighed, "We tried that. Our reputation is that we're ruthless mercenaries as much as liberators. There isn't much need these days for rogue warriors."

"We have to do something to honor Jet. His memory needs to live on. What else can we do now that the war is over? Especially with the Fire Nation colonists and soldiers all gone."

A silence fell. Sneers admitted, "They aren't gone."

Smellerbee was beside herself, and Longshot had to hold her back, "What? They _aren't_ gone? The War is over. We _won_. What gives?"

Sneers and the others explained the Harmony Restoration Movement that the Fire Lord, The Earth King, and the Avatar all agreed to, and the plans to move all the Fire Nation colonials back to the Fire Nation.

Smellerbee and Longshot looked at each other, and an idea immediately formed. He motioned for her to explain it.

She explained, "So, the Harmony Restoration Movement is underway to get rid of the Fire Nation. We are _not_ done yet. We _always_ wanted them gone. So the Freedom Fighters are gonna help them be gone _faster_. This time peacefully. We're gonna help them all pack up and move!"

Everyone cheered at the idea, and Longshot hugged his girl and smiled with a very satisfied look.

"So we _still_have a cause, and will do it all in Jet's memory. So pack up, close the fortress, and let's head for the colonies."

She did warn, "And if they _don't _go, we will take action Freedom Fighter style!"

On that strong promise and vow, everyone roared their delight, and the  
Freedom Fighters quickly packed their gear to leave.

Whether she knew it or not, Smellerbee had _just_ become the new Freedom Fighter leader. No one questioned her. They had accepted and rallied behind her.


	5. Chapter 5 - Epilogue

A year passed and the Freedom Fighters helped the Fire Nation exodus, gaining the reputation among the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom citizens as the nicest, hardest working volunteers of any of the groups helping the exit of the colonists. They worked diligently, and were often welcomed into peoples' homes everywhere. For the most part though, they kept to themselves and maintained a camp outside of each colony they helped move. They were in their hearts still outdoorsmen.

But things had changed suddenly. The sixth attempt on the new Fire Lord's life caused a new edict – to stop the Harmony Restoration Movement. The Fire Lord himself came to the first and oldest of all the colonies - Yu Dao – not to move his citizens but to protect them.

The sun began to rise on a new and fateful day.

As they had done every night since moving to the colonies, Smellerbee and Longshot slept safely snuggled together in Longshot's suspended hammock. She awoke to the soothing sounds of Longshot and her comrades still sleeping.

She frowned with the seriousness of the day ahead. Today would be fraught with danger. The Harmony Movement was in jeopardy, and _they _were going to protest its suspension.

Today would be the protest march on Yu Dao. The signs were ready. The Earth Kingdom protesters were ready. The Freedom Fighters were ready. Because there were Fire Nation soldiers in place at the blocked gates of the city, the Freedom Fighters' _weapons_were ready.

Smellerbee and Longshot dressed early, armed themselves, and held each other in a tight embrace for strength and luck. Steeled by their deep love, _they _were ready.

It was time to wake the others. The march on the city gates would begin shortly.


End file.
